Friday 4th December

Toorak's mansion turnover continues!

Being offered for sale for the first time since it was built is another one of Tooraks mega-mansions.

Current owner and Former Smorgon Steel Group chairman and Carlton president, Graham Smorgon, with his wife Annette, set out in 1989 to create the ideal environment in which to raise their three young children and now, 20 years on, the Smorgans realise it’s time to down their home.

Located in one of Toorak’s most desired locations, this discrete house is set at the top of a lovely circular drive and behind a delightful slate-roofed porte-cochere. The 36,000sqft property provides five bedrooms with corresponding ensuites, master bedroom with an apartment-style retreat, 'his and hers' walk-in dressing rooms, and an enormous marble ensuite, an expansive selection of formal and casual living and dining areas, timber-panelled study, flood-lit tennis court and in-ground swimming pool surrounded by sandstone pavers with picturesque cabana, kitchenette and powder room.

Marketed at $15million plus. For further information, find it on www.millionplus.com.au

Minogue shacks up with Spanish lover

Singer/songwriter, Kylie Minogue, is reportedly house hunting in New York for a stylish pad to settle into with her Spanish model lover, Andres Velencoso.

Minogue first made a name for herself playing the role of Charlene on Neighbours and went on to become a recording artist in 1987. Her singing career since has included mega hits such as ‘The Loco-Motion’, ‘I should be so lucky’, ‘Confide in me’ and more recently ‘Can’t get you out of my head’ and ‘On a night like this’.

In 2005 Minogue was diagnosed with breast cancer and after surgery and treatment resumed her career in the spotlight releasing her tenth album ’X’ by 2008.

Minogue's main reasons for the move are apparently to be based on her desire to pursue a movie career while Andres will hopes to expand on his modeling career.

Australia has the largest houses in the world!

New results out from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show that Australia holds the prize for the ‘Largest homes’ in the world!

The top position was previously held by the USA and may represent just how the global financial crisis has up-ended former conceptions by re-evaluating how many countries are choosing to hold fort.

The new statistics show that new Australian free-standing homes have reached a record high of 245.3 sqm in the last financial year, with Victoria being the largest, while the same category of houses in the US were 201.5sqm.

From around the globe, the data showed that Denmark’s average floor area was 137sqm, followed by Greece at 126sqm, the Netherlands at 115.5sqm, and the UK, at 76aqm, came in as one of the smallest in Europe.

The Twilight house hits the market!

The home featured in the crazed 'Twilight: New Moon' movies is currently on the market this month for $AU3.5million.

Located in West Vancouver, the Arthur Erickson designed home was totally renovated in 2001 by Brian Hemingway and is nestled into a creekside haven of towering trees. It features five bedrooms, numerous dramatic entertaining rooms including a great room with 20-foot ceilings, state-of-the-art kitchen with curved fireplace, separate studio opening onto a private Koi pond, enormous picture windows throughout, and luxurious outdoor swimming pool.